Princess Cruises offer a happy marriage of traditional cruise offerings and an array of innovations that fit the needs and wants of the modern cruise traveler. Their medium-sized ships provide just the right amount of elegance to make your journey truly luxurious, and they pair it with every kind of family-friendly creature comfort to make for a pleasurable and leisurely travel.
Princess Cruises also cater to a huge variety of passengers, from couples, to families, to singles, seniors, and kids – everyone has a reason to love being onboard! What would make your cruise extra enjoyable though, is when everyone is at their best behavior, so that all may be able to make the most of what Princess offers.
How exactly can you be a ‘good’ passenger? Here are a few tips:
Bring the wine, leave the liquor behind
Celebrating a special occasion with overflowing drinks? Drink to your heart’s desires onboard – but, you cannot bring any alcoholic beverage with you on embarkation day. You are also only limited to bringing one bottle of champagne or wine (per adult) – any additional bottles will incur a corkage fee.
Don’t fret though, you can still drink to your heart’s desire, as liquor and specialty wines are also available on the ship. Note that on most (if not all) of the Princess Cruise ships, the legal drinking age is 21.
Smoke in designated places only
If you’re someone who absolutely needs a smoke at one point or another, make sure to note the designated smoking areas onboard. Starting 2012, Princess Cruises has prohibited smoking in guest staterooms and balconies. A fine of $250 will be charged to you for each occurrence.
You can hang out at the cigar lounge or at a portion of the open deck to smoke. There is also a designated area in the Casino and the nightclub. Smoking only in areas designated will not only save you from extra charges, it will let fellow passengers enjoy their smoke-free grand vacation too!
Follow the dress code
While it may seem like a trivial matter, what you wear when you’re onboard actually helps reinforce the whole cruise experience. For example, formal nights are common on most cruises and is an absolute part of any Princess Cruise journey. Wearing the appropriate outfit not only helps you make the most of the overall ambiance of the event, but it also makes it extra special for everyone else who will participate in the ship’s activities.
Formal wear rental is also available onboard. In smaller/shorter Princess Cruise journeys they have ‘Dress to Impress’ nights, where they require more of smart casual outfits (think slacks/pants with open-neck shirts for men, dresses or dressy pants and blouses for ladies), especially in the dining and recreation areas.
Casual sportswear and ‘resort wear’ are great for strolling on deck. For dining areas, beach attire, shorts, or frayed jeans are not allowed. Better yet, bring a jacket or sweater of some sort so you can layer your outfits if it gets cold, or if the area of the ship you’re going into has a stricter dress code.
Get some insight on the basic traditions of the region you’re cruising to
If you’re going on an international cruise, you are most likely to witness firsthand a culture entirely different from yours through onshore excursions.
In some places, people rub noses to greet each other, in other destinations exposing your arms in sacred places is taboo. Know these ‘little things that matter’ and avoid possibly offending people, and gain more insight about the colorful aspects of the place you’re cruising to. The knowledge is guaranteed to make your international cruise experience extra exciting!
Share the chair, and help maintain order in the hallways
Pool-side lounge chairs are prime real estate on cruise ships – everyone wants to have their time at it! Don’t hog the space or make other members of your group ‘save’ a space for you. If you want to use it – be there.
The same goes for theater or performance seats – if you’re cruising as a group and watching a show together, then make it a point that you’re all there in time. Hallways should also be a place to be respected. Use your ‘indoor voice’ when walking along the hallways, and encourage people in your group to do the same.
Keep in mind that people taking the cruise with you may have different resting times, and that cabins along the hallways are personal spaces. Help keep the hallway environment calm and restful.
